Leslie Jordan

A ubiquitous character actor small in stature (4'11") but large on chreating characters with eccentric personality quirks, Leslie Jordan is best known for his TV guest spots, typically playing unforge...
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The father of the young man whose death is chronicled in acclaimed new movie Fruitvale Station has been given permission to sue the police officer who killed his son. Oscar Grant, Jr. died on the platform of Fruitvale Station in Oakland, California on New Year's Day (01Jan), 2009, following an altercation with transit authority cop Johannes Mehserle, who accidentally pulled his gun instead of his Taser and shot the 22 year old in the back.
Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to two years in prison, and now he faces another legal battle after a federal appeals court ruled Grant's father can sue the disgraced officer.
Michael B. Jordan has received Oscar buzz for his portrayal of Grant in the new film.

Rocker Bono rubbed shoulders with royalty at the weekend (27Jul13) - the U2 star and his wife joined Prince Albert Of Monaco and his new bride, Princess Charlene, at the annual Love Ball. Bono and his wife Ali Hewson were joined by their eldest daughter Jordan at Saturday's ritzy bash, which was also attended by tennis star Novak Djokovic and his partner Jelena Ristic, Karl Lagerfeld and photographer Mario Testino.
The Love Ball was hosted in Monte-Carlo by supermodel Natalia Vodianova in support of the Naked Heart Foundation.

Rizzle Kicks made their new album a family affair by inviting Jordan Stephens' parents to sing on the record. The British hip-hop duo's new album Roaring 20s features collaborations with stars including Jamie Cullum, Fatboy Slim and The Wire actor Dominic West, who recorded a rap for the pair.
However, Stephens was most impressed with a guest appearance from his family members, including his mother, father and cousin, who all sing on the album.
He tells Britain's Capital FM, "On the album... My mum sings a chorus, my dad sings a chorus, my cousin sings a little bit. It actually sounds dope (good)."
The star goes onto reveal the multiple collaborations were inspired by two big-name acts, adding, "There's some different voices. Jamie Cullum - so that's interesting. There's the Dominic West thing... It's not 'featuring this and that'. We're big fans of Gorillaz and Kanye West and the whole thing, which doesn't happen so much in Britain."

The Wire star Michael B. Jordan is reportedly in talks to play fictitious boxer Apollo Creed's grandson in the latest Rocky revamp. Jordan will reteam with his Fruitvale Station director Ryan Coogler if he signs on for the project, titled Creed.
In the film his character, a young boxer, seeks out his grandfather's one-time rival, Rocky Balboa, and asks the retired champion to train him.
Sylvester Stallone will reprise his iconic role as Balboa in the movie - the first new film in the franchise since 2006.
Carl Weathers played flashy boxing icon Creed in Stallone's 1976 break-out movie Rocky.

"It was rough growing up. I played basketball too, so I got every comparison, every joke you could possibly think of... I grew up with a chip on my shoulder." Actor Michael B. Jordan on sharing his name with the world's greatest basketball player.

Former The Wire star Michael B. Jordan is promoting his new movie Fruitvale Station with a broken hand after falling for his girlfriend - literally. The actor was recently trying to protect his partner after the heel of her shoe got caught in a New York street grate and she took a tumble, and his heroics left him seriously injured.
Sporting a cast for his TV interviews this week (begs22Jul13), he explains, "She took a spill and she took me down with her... I broke her fall and I broke my hand."
The young star is refusing to name his girlfriend of six months, telling U.S. news show Access Hollywood Live, "She's an old friend of mine... She's from L.A... It's new."

Actor Michael B. Jordan insists his acclaimed new race drama Fruitvale Station could not have been released at a better time - as America continues to scrutinise the verdict in the Trayvon Martin murder trial. The Sundance Film Festival hit, which is based on the true story of young black Oakland, California father Oscar Grant, who was shot dead by transit cops, was released in the U.S. on the eve of George Zimmerman's acquittal earlier this month (Jul13).
Both the film and Zimmerman's freedom have kickstarted a major race relations debate in the U.S. and former The Wire star Jordan is thrilled his new movie has become part of the discussion.
He tells U.S. news show Access Hollywood Live, "It (film release) was eerie timing. It shows that it's very important, it's a very timely movie right now that people need to see just to start thinking more about how we value life and how we treat people that we deem different."
Jordan reveals he has become close with members of Oscar Grant's family after turning to them to help him research his tragic character in Fruitvale Station.
He explains, "I had a chance to actually spend a lot of time with his mum, with his best friend, with his daughter Tatiana - she's a beautiful, beautiful young lady - and his girlfriend Sophina.
"That was the hardest part... because we're asking this family to relive the most tragic moment of their life... (They had to) open up to me and tell me about this guy that's no longer around."
Jordan has become a critical darling for his portrayal of Grant and there's Oscars buzz building, but the actor insists he's already landed the greatest prize - the praise of his character's mother.
He adds, "They (family) saw it the first time at Sundance... and she was blown away. I'm very humbled. It has actually helped the family a lot in the grieving process... I've had such praise from his mum, it's a big deal for me."

Actress Kristen Wiig showed off her funny side during an appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Monday (15Jul13) by conducting half her U.S. TV interview as basketball ace Michael Jordan. The Bridesmaids star wore a Chicago Bulls jersey and large sneakers to help her flesh out the role, before returning for a second segment as herself to promote new movie Girl Most Likely.

Purity Ring and Tegan & Sara will be among the acts competing for this year's Polaris Prize in Canada. They join the likes of Metric, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Colin Stetson and Young Galaxy on the shortlist to find the nation's best album.
The list was announced at The Drake Hotel in Toronto by Polaris founder Steve Jordan on Tuesday (16Jul13). The winner will be announced at a gala held in Toronto on 23 September (13).
Feist won last year's $30,000 (£20,000) prize for her album Metals.

British actor Eddie Izzard has turned journalist to film a harrowing report on the Syria crisis for a leading U.K. TV news network. The funnyman is a longtime supporter of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and he teamed up with the organisation to visit the Domiz refugee camp in northern Iraq to record a piece for Sky News.
In the film, Izzard highlights the plight of youngsters and their families left homeless as a result of Syria's civil war, which has been raging since March, 2011.
He explains, "I had heard about horrific conditions facing children in Syria and in neighbouring countries like Jordan and Lebanon, but the hardship faced by Syrian refugees in Iraq is an untold story. Every Syrian child has been touched by this conflict... The number of refugees pouring into Iraq from Syria has tripled over the past six months.
"For those who managed to escape Syria, life as a refugee remains incredibly difficult... Children are struggling to get access to clean water and vital schooling."
Izzard has urged fans to donate to the organisation, adding, "UNICEF has around only a third of the money it needs this year to get aid to children... who need it and desperately requires more funds to carry out its vital work. If we don't act now, Syria's children are at risk of becoming a lost generation."

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A ubiquitous character actor small in stature (4'11") but large on chreating characters with eccentric personality quirks, Leslie Jordan is best known for his TV guest spots, typically playing unforgettably Southern characters with an over-the-top fey demeanor. The Tennessee native has had a prolific career as both an actor and writer, arriving in Hollywood in 1982 and got his first major notices when he played the Tammy Wynette-fixated drag queen in Del Shores' hit play "Sordid Lives" and went on to star in the film adaptation of that play. He also won virtually every Los Angeles-area award for best supporting actor gives in theatre for his portrayal of Peanut Leroy, the sodden, aging homosexual in the runaway hit "Southern Baptist Sissies."